The
Lotus Evora Sport 410 has finally been launched in Malaysia. Hethel’s largest
model has been given numerous updates to reduce weight and provide a slight
increase in power, in a quest to further improve the car’s performance.
Pricing starts at RM 640,999 for the manual model and
RM 651,999 for the automatic; these figures are without registration fees, road
tax or insurance.
For
one you get heaps of carbon fibre, which graces the front splitter, roof panel,
rear quarter light panels (replacing the rear side windows), rear diffuser,
front access panel and wing mirror caps.
The carbon fibre tailgate is also new, combining the
previous unit’s five separate elements into a single panel, jettisoning the
rear glass for slats in the process. The downforce has
been raised some 15% without any increase in drag.
Inside, the infotainment system, speakers, door arm
rests, stowage pockets and rear seats have been deleted; a touchscreen
infotainment system with iPod and Bluetooth connectivity as well as speakers
can be added back on for RM 10,492. Also introduced are one-piece
Alcantara-trimmed door panels – the material can also be found on the carbon
fibre sports seats, along with the steering wheel and centre console.
Other weight-saving features include the addition of
ten-spoke forged alloy wheels (with optional Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 tyres). The changes result in a weight saving of 70 kg, with the manual
variant weighing in at 1,325 kg and the automatic tipping the scales at 1,337
kg.
Under the skin, the suspension has been retuned to
account for the lower weight, with improved geometry and revised damping, along
with a ride height that’s been lowered by five millimetres compared to the
Evora 400. This is claimed to provide sharper handling and improved body and
roll control without sacrificing ride comfort and composure. There’s also a
Torsen limited slip differential on the manual model.
The Sport 410 gets motive
power from a Toyota-derived 3.5 litre supercharged V6, but improvements derived
from the 3-Eleven has, as its name suggests, raised outputs by 10 hp to 410 hp
at 7,000 rpm and 410 Nm at 3,500 rpm.
Buyers get a choice of six-speed automatic and
manual gearboxes; the latter gets a low-inertia flywheel for faster changes.
Performance figures include a 0-100 km/h time of 4.1 seconds with the automatic
and 4.2 seconds with the manual, as well as a top speed of 285 km/h with the
auto and 305 km/h with the manual. Acceleration and top speed figures are 0.1
seconds quicker and 5 km/h up on the Evora 400 respectively.
Options include a RM 28,862 titanium exhaust system,
a RM 1,315 sound insulation pack, a RM 1,575 full Alcantara steering wheel and a
RM 2,622 interior colour pack in either red, yellow, silver or orange. Cruise
control and mud flaps can also be added for RM 1,575 and RM 788 respectively.